Garh Panchakot, near Panchet Dam on river Damodar in Purulia district is less than an hour drive from Asansol (222 km from Kolkata). A thickly forested hill here resonates with the buzz of its resident insects and birds. The Damodar is in its full glory during the monsoon and the winter is good for bird watching. The West Bengal Forest Development Corporation Limited runs a sprawling tourist bungalow here.

Attractions & Activities

The Panchkot Giri or the Panchet hill is about 2100 ft (643 mt) in altitude and 18 Sq km in stretch. The mixed sal forest of this area is famous for its rich biodiversity. Plethora of medicinal plants and herbs are widespread in this area. Some easily identifiable species are amloki, haritoki, bahera, kalmegh, satamul, anantamul, sarpagandha, jastimadhu, bel, neem, kurchi, gurmar etc.